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CSB displays diversity, culture
The College of Saint Benedict was proud to present Mickey Hart, former drummer for the Grateful Dead and his new international ensemble, Bembe Orisha, Saturday and Sunday in the Benedicta Arts Center Auditorium.
Hundreds of people were ecstatic for the event as they hurried to their assigned seats within the facility.
“I’ve been anxious for (Bembe Orisha) to come and see them perform,” said Jim Rusche, resident of St. Joesph.
In an interview with Hart, he explains the name Bembe Orisha.
“It refers to a party for the earth spirits. It’s a west African term. The music will incorporate a number of traditions: Carribean, Haitan, Cuban, Puerto Rican, African and also elements of Persia. It’s some of my favorite music and it’s the same music that spawned the blues, jazz rock and roll. It really is the root of the roots. It’s dance music, celebratory in nature.”
Selections during the night came from these various cultures, such as “Que te llama (What you call),” “Bamba,’ “Iko, Iko” and “Down the road again,” a song in which Hart told a story about John F. Kennedy getting shot.
Bembe Orisha included Mickey Hart on trap drums, balaphon, kalimba and RAMU (Random Access Musical Universe), Nengue Hernandez on congas and latin percussion, Bobby Vegas on bass, Barney Doyle on guitar, Sikiru Adepoju on talking drum, Glenys Rogers on vocals and talking drum, Greg Ellis on middle eastern percussion and Azam Ali on vocals and dulcimer.
Mickey Hart is best known for his nearly three decades as a drummer for the extraordinary rock and roll band, the Grateful Dead. His tireless study of the world’s music led him to join with, among others, Zakir Hussain, Baba Olatunji, Airto Moreira, Giovanni Hidalgo and Sikiru Adepoju to form the band Planet Drum, whose self-titled album was #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart for 26 weeks and received a Grammy for Best World Music Album in 1991, the first Grammy ever awarded in this category.
He also had produced “The World” series for Rykodisc, acting as producer and executive producer for a wide span of music, including pre-World War II recordings from Bali, early twentieth-century Central/South American ethnographic material from the Library of Congress collection and more modern material from Africa and Asia.
His three books, “Drumming at the Edge of Magic,” “Planet Drum” and “Spirit into Sound,” document his work for the printed page. His most recent project was as co-artist and producer of the great taiko drumming troupe Kodo’s “Mondo Head” album, released in April by Sony.
Bembe Orisha is currently on tour and their next stop will be at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, Wis.
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